What If?
by iAir Nomad
Summary: What if the crystals in The Cave of Two Lovers didn't light up? What would become of Aang and Katara? Kataang. R&R Please! UPDATED! Chapter 2 is up!
1. Lost

What If?

What if the crystals in The Cave of Two Lovers didn't light up? What would become of Aang and Katara?

The young airbender and waterbender continued their search for the exit of the almost-impossible maze. They said nothing to each other the entire time. After Aang's slight stupidity of accidently going against Katara's idea of kissing him, he found it too shameful to even say anything at this point.

Many minutes passed, and eventually, it was already almost two full hours of walking aimlessly through the cave, which meant bad news for them and their single torch.

Finally, Aang found his voice again. He knew and vowed to himself that he would not say anything so idiotic like he did before.

"We're gonna run out of light any second now, aren't we?" He asked her in a sad and tired tone.

"I think so." Katara replied, with just as much disappointment and tiredness in her voice.

"Then what are going to do?"

Katara turned to face him. "What can we do?"

Without warning or thinking, Katara put her hand on top of the hand of his that was holding the torch, and she kept it there as he looked up into her blue eyes with a smile and a look that held all of the love in the world, as she gazed back into his grey ones.

Moments pass, and both knew their time was becoming limited. Both prayed in their minds that perhaps just one… simple kiss would help them get out of this dark cave…

Katara began to question her idea of kissing him again during those few moments of gazing at each other in silence. She thought it was a bad and too much of a crazy idea, but perhaps she was being proven wrong here as she looked deep into those sparkling, beautiful grey eyes that called and begged for her to move a few more inches closer. Perhaps her idea wasn't so crazy after all. It wasn't just that she wanted to oblige the curse and try to believe in the power of love just so they could escape and get out of there. It wasn't just that anymore. She really did believe in the power of love and she knew now that she suggested that they kiss for only two good reasons: One, she wanted to. Two….

…She loved him. More than anything else in the entire world. And she wanted to share that fact with him with just this one kiss…

The torch flame began to dim, and time was running out. They had to do this. Both were shy, though. But both were eager and wanting to feel each other's lips more than ever.

Both Aang and Katara's hearts were about to jump out of their chests as they inched toward each other, then paused, their eyes bidding shut before leaning forward again, the flame dimming out completely and then it was gone. In the dark silence, they continued ever-so-slowly. The only sounds were their fast-beating hearts and deep, warm breathing as their lips slowly parted and then connected.

Aang's heart then skipped several beats, as well as Katara's. As their lips remained in contact, they had totally forgotten that they were hoping for something to happen that would lead to their escape. Both decided, instead, to focus on the now, and to cherish this moment and make it last, for they did not know when or if they would ever have this kind of chance again in the future.

Aang thoughtlessly wrapped his arms around Katara's waist, dropping the torch in the process, and pulled her closer to him as she brought her palms to his cheeks. Over and over again, they repeated the same routine: Kiss and part, kiss and part.

"Katara," Aang quietly murmured between their light kisses. Each time they parted, he chanted her name, in need and want, and in the most loving way possible.

Suddenly, Appa groaned. With a slight smacking sound, Aang and Katara broke away and looked over in the direction of the groaning of the bison. It wasn't until then that the couple discovered that nothing had happened. Their shoulders dropped.

With a kiss even that passionate and romantic, it affected nothing, to their astonishment.

"It's okay, Appa, we'll be fine." Katara reminded the giant beast as she walked over to him and felt for his fur before stroking it softly. Appa groaned once more and laid down. Katara sat down with him against the side of his fur coat. Aang followed and sat down next to her.

"Well, it's pitch black, and we've ran out of light. Now what?" She asked with a sigh.

"I don't know," Aang huddled against his knees. "I don't know."

Katara's head suddenly jolted up. "Aang, you can make a fire! You're the avatar, can't you make a breath of fire or something for the torch?"

Aang suddenly had a pained and guilty expression. "No. And I'm sure. And even if I did, I wouldn't even risk using it. It's too dangerous, and I can't risk hurting you. I'm never going to firebend again. I can't. For your sake."

Katara raised an eyebrow at this. "But Aang, you forget—I have healing abilities. Even if something bad happened again, I can take care of myself—"

"But it would still be my fault, entirely."

"Aang," Katara sighed. "You'll have to learn firebending at some point. It's part of the Avatar's duty. It's something you were born and destined to learn, and something you can't run away from." She urged.

She couldn't see it, but she felt his hand on top of hers right then, and she let him entwine their fingers. Out of the silence, his voice spoke again, gently:

"Never again. I'm never going to hurt you ever again or be stupid and careless like I was during that incident. Never again."

**Well, here's chapter one of "What If?". ^_^ Hope you all liked it so far. Buwahahaa I'm totally twisting the plot around. ;D How evil is that? 8D **

**I know Aang and Katara probably didn't exactly kiss in The Cave of Two Lovers, but that's okay. I decided to make it happen anyway. :3 R&R Plz!**


	2. Not Lost

**WOAH. How'd I manage to, like… forget about this story? o_O**

**Well… if anyone is still, like… actually reading this… here's the next and last chapter. XD Enjoy.**

Aang and Katara had wandered aimlessly in the maze in complete, utter darkness for the longest time. They were wondering at this point if Sokka had managed to reach the exit, no matter how "slow" those nomads seemed. Thinking about him worrying about them worried the young benders.

"How long do you think we've been in here?" Aang asked suddenly.

Katara sighed. "I would say… probably four or five hours at the most."

Aang gulped. "Katara, what if we don't make it? What if we… die in here?"

The young airbender could not see her crystal-blue eyes. All he could feel was the intertwinement of their hands (so as not to lose each other), the sound of his significant other's breathing, and the loud thumping of Appa's six large feet lagging behind them. He could, however, hear in Katara's voice that her hope was fading as well. This worried him even more. Katara was the one in the group that _always_ would keep hope up for them, no matter what plight they were trapped in. Always. This was not the Katara he knew and grew to unconditionally love.

Aang felt her hand squeeze his tighter. "I don't know how to answer that, Aang."

The young air nomad fumbled around with his free hand to find Katara's face and turn it to him. "Where's your hope, Katara? I don't see it."

"I'm not seeing anything, Aang." She half-joked, but she partly referred it to her lack of hope, as the boy before her pointed out.

"Where's Katara? What did you do to my hope-spirited friend?" Aang asked softly. Although she could not see it, his lips curled into a playful smile.

At this point, they had stopped walking, finding themselves wandering for the other's facial features with their hands.

"Aang?" Katara whispered as she cupped his cheeks in her palms.

"Yes?"

"Don't worry. Your hope-spirited friend is still here." She smiled in the darkness.

"Good." Smiled he.

"We'll make it. Don't worry." Katara leaned in and embraced him.

The young airbender wasn't sure how to respond except wrap his arms around her as well. "I'm glad to hear that."

When they broke away, they started walking again. It wasn't until Aang heard a loud THUMP and an "OW" that he turned to Katara with concern and reached out to touch her head. "Are you alright?"

"Just fine," She rubbed her head, also finding his hand. "But I'm really sick of not being able to see where I'm going." She sighed.

He sad-smiled apologetically, but then he felt his head thump against something at that moment as well. "OUCH!" He exclaimed, making Katara jump. "I hit something, too."

Finding this absolutely humorous, Katara began laughing, making the whole place echo. She felt a lighter pressure hit her head again, only on the other side of her head.

"Ow! Aang! You're bumping into me." She rubbed the side of her head where the impact was.

Aang was puzzled. "What are you talking about, Katara? I never hit heads with you just now."

And now Katara was left puzzled. "Well… then what was it? The wall is on my left but I felt it on my right, where you're standing."

At that moment, both were completely taken off guard when hearing something loud flying toward them. The way it was hitting against the wall… it sounded like earth. Rocks and pebbles approaching fast in every direction.

"Get down!" Aang yelled and instinctively pushed Katara's body down with him slightly on top of her back and protectively wrapping his arms around her upper chest and head as the rocks came flying. They wailed in pain, Aang especially, when the pebbles came in contact with skin. But within a few seconds, they felt them no more.

Aang slowly unwrapped himself from the girl in his arms. "Are you alright, Katara?"

"Yes… yes, I'm fine." She said, trying to catch her breath, but inhaling and exhaling unusually rapidly.

Aang pressed a gentle hand just below her collar, where he felt the beginnings of her chest rise up and down, too fast.

"Breathe, Katara. It's alright." He lightly chuckled. Almost immediately, he felt her calm down.

"Aang, thank you. For, you know…" Katara said after a while, lying flat on her back now on the dirt ground, Aang still halfway on top and both not really paying attention to how suggestive this was.

"You're welcome, Katara." Aang replied huskily. He leaned down, at first touching noses to find out where her facial features were, and then pressing his lips onto hers.

It was a very short, but very tender kiss—innocent. When they pulled away, they were both left dazed. But Katara had still yet to figure out what she was feeling for the young Avatar. She was still so lost with her feelings, for recently, they've been having spasms constantly. She couldn't figure out exactly what they meant. So she was slightly paranoid that Aang abruptly kissed her like she had already figured those feelings out. _But I suppose I shouldn't complain… it's… nice, _she thought to herself, feeling her face heat up at the thought. _But I kissed him a couple hours ago like… like… I liked him. A lot. Could I…?_

"Katara?" Aang's voice interrupted.

"Huh? Oh, sorry… just… kind of lost in my thoughts."

"Sorry to break them, but… what do you think that was? The pebbles, I mean?"

"Earth doesn't just randomly fly in mid-air like that that fast. It had to be an earthbender, I would think."

Katara felt Aang move, only slightly at her statement. She guessed he was shocked. There was no reply for a long time.

"Aang, what is it?" She started getting worried.

"Katara, look ahead of you."

Feeling his arms completely unwrap around her and giving her access to move her body, she turned and looked ahead. The spirit of Oma was floating before them.

"It's… the woman… from the legend." Katara whispered. Aang did not reply, however. He was at a loss for words as they gazed at her. She was truly beautiful, with her long black hair whipping around her ghostly, somewhat see-through face and the most beautifully designed red kimono. Oma merely smiled at the two.

"Good-bye." Her lips mouthed. Aang and Katara, still slightly dazed, looked at her confused. But both felt their eyelids droop a little. They had been wandering for hours, and felt very tired. The last thing both of them saw was the floating figure of Oma, and then Shu joining beside her, smiling lovingly down at both of them.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"Aang! Katara! Can you hear me?"

They felt themselves being shook violently.

Sokka.

Another presence was felt. And then the sound of an instrument creating a melody.

"_Even if you're lost, _

_You can't lose the love because it's in your heart…"_

Chong.

"Would you PLEASE just… play your songs SOMEWHERE ELSE THAT IS NOT IN MY PRESENCE?"

Chong's laughter could be heard straight after Sokka's outburst. "Chill out, master-pony-tail." Footsteps began walking away.

Aang groaned and rubbed his eye with one hand. Finally opening his eyelids, he saw Sokka hovering over him with concern in his eyes. And disgust. But Aang could not figure out why until he looked over and saw Katara snuggled up under his neck. How he did not feel her up against him, he would never know. But Sokka was obviously uncomfortable with the position, so the young monk sat up to seated.

"Finally. About time you woke up." Sokka muttered and walked away, leaving them alone for a few minutes.

Aang took this as an advantage to lean down and lightly plant a kiss on her nose and touch her cheek delicately with his fingers. "Katara? Katara, wake up. We're outside. We made it." _Somehow_.

Katara's suddenly fluttered open, and her blue eyes directed their gaze on Aang's smiling face. She then took notice of her surroundings. The sun, the trees, her brother, and the nomads.

"Hey… we're out," she murmured tiredly, sitting up as well to get a better view. "But how…?"

"I don't know." Aang said, looking around as well. "But I do remember seeing Oma and Shu. They must have led us the right way."

"Well. How fortunate for us." Katara said, tracing circles in the dirt.

"Yes. We are very fortunate."

"Do you think…" Her voice trailed off.

"What?" Aang asked.

She shook her head with a dismissing smile. "Nevermind."

"Katara, what is it?" He gently urged.

"Well… do you think they just approved of us… you know, together?"

Aang flashed a shy smile, a blush, and a shrug. "Who knows?"

Katara giggled and stood up, offering a hand for Aang, which he happily took and got up.

At this time, Sokka walked back to them. "So… what in the world happened? How did you guys get out?"

Aang looked at Katara, as if asking telepathically if he should just tell the truth.

Katara shrugged in response.

The young airbender looked back at Sokka. "We saw the two lovers' spirits. Then we kind of… fell unconscious or something, and found ourselves here. We don't know what happened, really."

"Really?" Sokka suddenly smiled wide, looking back at two giant badger-moles, just sitting there. "We let huge, ferocious beasts lead our way!"

Aang and Katara looked at each other, and giggled. Oh, how they missed Sokka.

And how they escaped the Cave of the Two Lovers, the world may never know. The only answer for now would have to be: the power of love.


End file.
